The BJP President Amit Shah made his parliamentary debut, sitting on a front row on the opening day of the winter session in the Rajya Sabha. The 53-year-old leader, who was elected to the Upper House of Parliament in August, entered the parliament just minutes before the proceedings began. The front row members including several ministers stoop up to welcome the BJP President.

In a gesture to welcome the leader, some thumped desks and others clapped and Shah greeted them with a smile and folded hands. Shah later went straight to his assigned seat in the front row. Shah has been provided the passage seat next to the two-seat block were of Leader of the House and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Prime Minister Narendra Modi sit. The Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley sit in the front row of the first block and Shah have been allotted the seat in the next block where he has the company of Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan and Social Justice Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot.

The ministers including Telecom Minister Manoj Sinha, Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javedkar and I&B Minister Smriti Irani welcomed Amit Shah inside the house by thumping and clapping. The BJP President Amit Shah has been allotted the same seat that was previously occupied by M Venkaiah Naidu, who is now the Chairman of Rajya Sabha as he was elected as Vice President in August. The block next to Amit Shah has AIADMK and Trinamool Congress leaders in the front row seats. The BSP chief Mayawati quit the Rajya Sabha in July, accusing that her voice was being silenced. Mayawati’s seat has been given to her confidante and BSP leader Satish Mishra after her resignation.